Automatically adjustable feeding device for logs



N 1954 o. SKOGLUND AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE FEEDING DEVICE FOR LOGS Filed Aug. 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l m JN Nov. 16, 1954 o. SKOGLUND 2,694,425

AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE FEEDING DEVICE FOR LOGS Filed Aug. 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 W m\ f N N t l 1 v w; a Q i E 9 Q Q P it: N

: y unnmm m United States Patent Office 2,694,425 Patented Nov. 16, 1954 AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE FEEDING DEVICE FOR LOGS Oskar Skoglund, Arbra, Sweden Application August 13, 1951, Serial No. 241,645

3 Claims. (Cl. 144247) This invention relates to feeding devices for logs and the invention has for its primary object to provide a feeding device automatically adapting itself to varying diameters of the logs so that the feeding device may elfectively advance both relatively small and thick logs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeding device maintaining the logs with the centre thereof in a predetermined position vertically and horizontally independently of their diameters so that the logs always are centered relatively to a succeeding working machine, such as a barking machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a feeding device advancing the log at a rate of speed decreasing When the diameter of the logs increases so that the succeeding barking machine without varying the working speed thereof can effectively bark both relatively small and thick logs.

The invention will hereinbelow be described in details with reference to the annexed drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

On said drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the present barking machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end view, partly in section, thereof.

The feeding device shown on the drawings comprises a frame generally denoted by 1 in which horizontal shafts 2 are fixed in superimposed position by means of nuts 3. Mounted on each shaft 2 for rotation and axial shifting thereon are two sleeves 4 each of which at one end carries a disk-shaped feeding member 5 and at its opposite end a gear 6. The feeding members 5 associated with each shaft 2 are mounted opposite each other and grooved at the faces facing each other as indicated at 7 in Figs. 2 and 3.

As may be seen from Fig. 2 the ridges 8 between the grooves in the faces 7 of the feeding members 5 may have different lengths so that, for instance, ridges 8 of increased length alternate with pairs of ridges 8 of reduced length. Besides, the ridges 8 of the two feeding members 5 of each pair converge in relation to each other toward the axes of the feeding members 5 so that the four feeding members 5 together form a generally diamond-shaped passage therebetween as shown in Fig. 3 through which passage the logs are adapted to be advanced. Although the ridges 8 extend rectilinearly on the drawing it is possible within the scope of the invention to construct the ridges more or less convexedly or concavely curved or angular-1y.

Sleeves 4 are surrounded by non-rotary but axially shiftable sleeves 9 interconnected in pairs by rods 10 received intermediate the ends thereof in forks 11 mounted for rotation in frame 1 by being secured to vertical shafts 12 journalled in bearings 13 at the top and bottom of frame 1. Secured to shafts 12 are gear segments 14 engaging each other as shown in Fig. 1 for a purpose set forth in the following.

A spiral spring 15 is at one end anchored to a pin 21 secured to frame 1 and engages at its opposite end a gear 22 mounted for rotation in frame 1 and engaging a gear segment 23 fixed to the bottom shaft 12 in Fig. 1. Thus, spring 15 by means of gearings 23 and 14, forks 11, rods 10 and sleeves 9 acting as pressure transmitting members press the feeding members 5 of each pair toward each other.

For rotating the feeding members a shaft 16 is journalled in bearings at the top of frame 1 said shaft at both ends being provided with teeth of considerable length engaging the upper gears 6.

Preferably rollers for supporting and guiding the logs are mounted at the outlet and inlet sides of the feeding device, the rollers at the former side being shown at 18 in Fig. 1. Rollers 18 are supported by levers 19 secured to shafts 20 mounted for rotation in frame 1 and just as shafts 12 interconnected by gear segments (not shown). Besides, levers 19 just as forks 11 are loaded by a spring (not shown) in the manner described in the foregoing with reference to forks 11.

The feeding device shown on the drawings operates as follows: I

In rotating shaft 16 by any suitable driving means (not shown) feeding members 5 are rotated by teeth 17 and gears 6 by means of sleeves 4, the ridges 8 then gripping a log introduced into the passage between the four feeding members 5 and advancing said log to a succeeding working machine, such as a barking machine, over the supporting and guiding rollers 18. According to its size the log then widens the passage referred to by pressing the opposed feeding members 5 away from each another against the action of springs 15. All of the feeding members 5 are shifted equally due to the synchronizing secured by the gear segments 14 so that the centre of the log always will be situated at the centre of passage referred to. Moreover it may easily be seen that the logs are advanced at a rate of speed decreasing when the diameter of the logs increases in that in smaller logs points on the ridges having a greater circumferential speed and in thicker logs points thereon having a smaller circumferential speed effect the feeding. This is exactly what is desired in barking machines in order that the latter when working at a constant rate of speed may find time to bark logs of larger diameter.

What I claim is:

l. A feeding device for logs, particularly for use in connection with barking machines and comprising in combination a frame, two superimposed pairs of opposed pairs of disk-shaped feeding members having ridges at the faces thereof facing each other, shafts fixed in said frame, first sleeves mounted for rotation and axial shifting on said shafts and carrying at one end said feeding members, gears secured to the opposite end of said sleeves, an actuating shaft for rotating said gears, other sleeves surrounding said first sleeves and interposed between said feeding members and said gears, and spring means for resiliently urging said feeding members toward each other by means of said other sleeves so as to press said ridges against the circumference of 1sjaid logs for advancing said logs by said feeding memers.

2. A feeding device for logs, particularly for use in connection with a barking machine comprising in combination, a frame, two shafts rigidly secured to said frame in parallel and superimposed relation one to the other, a pair of discs rotatably and slidably mounted on each of said shafts with the pair of discs of one shaft positioned right above the pair of discs of the other shaft, said discs having formed on their sides facing each other ridges extending inwardly from the periphery of the discs which are of an axial height gradually increasing from the outer ends of the ridges towards the inner ends thereof so as to cause the two pairs of discs to form a rhombic log passage at a point intermediate between the two shafts for allowing the logs to pass therethrough in a direction at right angle to the common axial plane of the shafts, means for rotating the two pairs of discs in opposite directions, spring means for resiliently urging the discs of each shaft towards each other for causing the ridges thereof to engage a log passing through the said rhombic passage, and means for moving the discs of the pairs from each other for widening the said passage to suit logs of larger diameter against the action of said spring means, and means for positively synchronizing the sliding movement of the coaxial discs to anti1 from each other with respect to a given center of log pat 3. A log feeding device, particularly for use in connection with a barking machine comprising in combination,

a frame, two parallel shafts rigidly mounted in said frame, a pair of log feeding discs rotatably and slidably mounted on each of said shafts, said discs being formed on their sides facing each other with ridges extending inwardly from the periphery of the respective disc in substantially radial directions, said ridges being of an axial height increasing from the outer towards the inner ends of the ridges so that the pair of discs on the same shaft form between themselves an outwardly widening angular opening which may be increased and reduced by an axial displacement of the discs on the shaft with relation to each other to suit logs of different diameter, the discs belonging to each pair angularly displaced with relation to each other, so that the ridges of one disc are situated axially in register with the notch between the ridges of the other disc, the two pairs of discs being so related to each other that the said angular opening of one pair together with the angular opening of the other pair will form at a point intermediate between the shafts a rhombic passage for a log moving in a direction at right angle to the common axial plane of the shafts, means for rotating all discs at the same angular speed and in the same peripheral direction of said passage, spring means for resiliently urging in directions for contracting the section of said passage and means for moving the discs in the opposite directions for widening the said passage, all with a view to allowing the ridges of the feeding discs to engage logs of smaller diameter by points at a larger 10 Number Name Date 59,641 Perry Nov. 13, 1866 397,114 Dolsen Feb. 5, 1889 632,979 Wolfe Sept. 12, 1899 685,812 Bartholomew Nov. 5, 1901 15 1,043,169 Tenow et a1 Nov. 5, 1912 1,248,700 Olsen Dec. 4, 1917 2,032,585 Lewellen et al Mar. 3, 1936 2,120,383 Watson June 14, 1938 2,448,689 Schnyder Sept. 7, 1948 20 2,477,922 Emery et al Aug. 2, 1949 2,501,848 Johnson Mar. 28, 1950 2,625,185 Merry Jan. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 25 Number Country Date 20,316 Norway Nov. 26, 1909 41,523 Sweden Nov. 1, 1916 480,711 Germany Aug. 7, 1929 radial distance from the axes of the discs and logs of larger diameter by points situated at a smaller radial distance from the axes of the'discs, thereby automatically varying the speed of the feeding of the logs in the inverse relation to the variation of the diameter of the logs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

